Movable cover for railway flat cars

ABSTRACT

A cover adapted to fit over lading carried on the deck of a flat car. A hoist is provided on a vertically extending support at each end of the flat car to raise the cover to permit loading and unloading of lading from the sides of the flat car, such as by a forklift truck or the like. For movement of the cover to a raised position, one end of the cover is first raised and then the opposite end is raised. Extensions on the ends of the cover guide the cover during raising and lowering thereof to minimize any lateral tilting of the cover.

United States Patent Thornton [4 1 June 20, 1972 1 MOVABLE COVER FOR RAILWAY 3,132,600 5/1964 Allard nos/377 FLAT CARS 2,977,900 4/1961 Farr-an... .....l05/377 2,949,867 8/1960 Ramsey .....l05/377 [72] Inventor: Duane V. Thornton, St. Charles, Mo. 3,526,194 970 W105I377 73 Assisnee: ACF Industries, Incorporated, New York 2,899,912 8/1959 Janeczko ..l05/377 N.Y. i 6 Primary Examiner-Arthur L. La Point Flledi 1970 Assistant Examiner-Richard A. Bertsch [211 Appl. No.: 7,502 Attorney-Eugene N. Riddle [57] ABSTRACT 52 US. l l 1 C 105/377 a A cover adapted to fit over lading carried on the deck of a flat [51] I'm i l 861d 39/00 car. A hoist is provided on a vertically extending support at [58] Field of 393 each end of the flat car to raise the cover to permit loading R 137, 245/1 6 and unloading of lading from the sides of the flat car, such as by a forklift truck or the like. For movement of the cover to a l 56] R'eferences Cited 1 raised position, one end of the cover is first raised and then the opposite end is raised. Extensions on the ends of the cover NI STATES PATENTS guide the cover during raising and lowering thereof to 2 587 027 2,1952 Bl k 105/377 minimize any lateral tilting of the cover.

ac r 3,098,456 7/1963 Eisner 105/377 2 Claims, 5 Drawing figures 60 I} 54 k 68 2o 60 14 1. 20 as l ll ,6- 1' 1/4: 4 I \::I ll P r P'A'TENTEflJunzo 1972 saw 2 OF FIG. 2.

FIG. 3.

PA'TENTEDJum 1972 SHEET 3 BF 3 FIG. 5.

FIG. 4.

MOVABLE COVER FOR RAILWAY FLAT CARS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of covers have been mounted on gondola cars, and have been removed by an overhead crane or the like for the unloading and loading of the lading. Also, railway cars which have been adapted to carry cylindrical steel coils have employed covers which have been removed in a variety of ways for the loading and unloading of the steel coils by an overhead crane or the like.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention is directed to a railway flatcar having a vertical support at each end thereof and a cover positioned between the vertical supports adapted to rest on the deck of the car. The support is secured to each end of the deck and includes a pair of spaced vertically extending posts with the cover having a pair of extensions at each end projecting alongside an associated vertical post which restrains lateral movement of the cover during raising and lowering of the cover. Hoist means are mounted on the supports and connected to the cover for raising the cover from the surface of the deck upon actuation, and stops on the posts limit the upward movement of the cover upon contact therewith by the extensions on the cover. Thus, the extensions act to guide the cover during vertical movement thereof and also to restrict lateral movement or tilting of the cover during raising and lowering.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a railway flat car having the cover thereon supported on the deck over lading mounted on the deck;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 1 but showing an end of the cover in a raised position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation similar to FIGS. 1 and 2.but showing the cover in fully raised position with lading on the deck adapted to be loaded and unloaded by side unloading means, such as a forklift truck of the like;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the railway car shown in FIG. 1 indicating the cover in a raised position in contact with abutments on the vertical supports; and

FIG. 5 is a partial side elevation of an end portion of a railway flat car indicating the hoist means for raising and lowering the cover.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of this invention, a railway flat car is generally indicated 10 and has a flat deck 12 thereon. Load dividers 14 extend transversely of deck 12 and are secured thereto for positioning lading L. Mounted on each end of each divider 14 are a pair of movable gates 16 which may be pivoted between open and closed positions. A suitable means (not shown) releasably secure gates 16 in a closed position for restraining the lading from any lateral movement on deck 12. Dividers 14 restrain longitudinal movement of lading L along deck 12. Lading L may, for example, comprise a' plurality of metal bars mounted on a pallet P which may be loaded from the side of the car, such as by a forklift truck or the like while gates 16 are in open position. Gates 16 may be moved to a closed position upon loading oflading L on deck 12.

A support structure generally indicated 18 is secured to each end of deck 12 and comprises a pair of vertical posts 20 having an upper cross connecting beam 22. Mounted between posts 20 at each end of the car on deck 12 is a housing 24 having a sprocket 26 therein mounted on shaft 28 which terminates outwardly at end 30 which is adapted to be engaged by a suitable air wrench or the like for rotation of sprocket 26.

A guard 32 is mounted over end 30 for protection thereof. A chain 36 extends about sprocket 26 to an upper sprocket 38 mounted on housing 40 secured to cross member 22. Input shaft 42 is connected to a suitable gear reduction unit 44 and output shaft 46 extends therefrom to a drum 48. Chain 50 is adapted to be wound about drum 48 and extends downwardly therefrom.

A cover is generally indicated 52 and comprises a pair of sides 54, a roof or top 56, and ends 58. Stiffeners 60 are secured along sides 54 for reinforcement. Mounted along the lower marginal portion of each end 58 is a cross brace member 62 having a bracket 64 thereon. The lower end of chain 50 is connected to pin 66 on bracket 64. Cover 52 may be raised and lowered by actuation of sprocket 26 by rotation of shaft 28 upon insertion of a suitable air wrench or the like about end 30.

Extending from the lower corner of each end 58 is an extension 68 generally box-shaped in cross section and projecting alongside an adjacent post 20. A stop or abutment 70 projects outwardly from each post 20 and restricts the upward movement of cover 52 upon contact of abutment 70 with extension 68 as shown in FIG. 3.

To raise cover 52 from the position of FIG. 1, an air wrench engages end 30 for lifting one end of cover 52 as shown in FIG. 2. The opposite end which remains on deck 12 is supported on extensions 68 and thus has a so-called two-point" support which minimizes any tilting or lateral movement of cover 52 during raising. Posts 20 restrain any lateral movement of cover 52 by contact with extensions 68. Upon contact with abutments 70 by extensions 68 as shown in FIG. 2, the opposite end is then lifted to the position of FIG. 3. In this position, lading L may be removed from the sides of flat car 10 by a suitable forklift truck.

While cover 52has been shown in the drawings as restricted by stops 70 in its upward movement, in some instances, it might be desirable to have cover 52 removed from a position over the deck of the car. In these instances, abutments 70 might be adapted to be selectively movable to a disengaged position with respect to extensions 68 and by disconnecting of chains 50 from brackets64, thereby to permit cover 52 to be removed from car 10.

What is claimed is:

l. A railway flat car comprising, a generally flat deck adapted to support lading thereon, an end support at each end of the deck each including a pair of posts extending in a generally vertical direction a substantial distance above the deck, a cover positioned between the supports and being generally channel-shaped in cross section adapted to fit over lading on the deck while resting on the upper surface of the deck, a cross member extending horizontally between each pair of posts generally adjacent their upper ends, separate lift means supported on each cross member and connected to the cover for raising the cover from the surface of the deck upon actuation thereof, a pair of horizontally extending extensions at each end of said cover projecting outwardly from the adjacent end of the cover alongside the associated pair of posts and restraining lateral movement of the cover by contact with the associated posts during raising and lowering of the cover by the lift means, and stop means on the end supports to engage the extensions and stop the upward movement of the cover, each lift means being independently actuated for selectively lifting one end of the cover, the opposite end of the cover being supported on the extensions of said opposite end when said one end of the cover is lifted.

2. A railway flat car as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lift means comprises a pair of sprockets connected in driving relation to each other, an output shaft extending from the driven sprocket, a gear reduction unit connected to said output shaft, and means connecting the gear reduction unit to the cover for lifting the cover upon actuation of the lift means. 

1. A railway flat car comprising, a generally flat deck adapted to support lading thereon, an end support at each end of the deck each including a pair of posts extending in a generally vertical direction a substantial distance above the deck, a cover positioned between the supports and being generally channelshaped in cross section adapted to fit over lading on the deck while resting on the upper surface of the deck, a cross member extending horizontally between each pair of posts generally adjacent their upper ends, separate lift means supported on each cross member and connected to the cover for raising the cover from the surface of the deck upon actuation thereof, a pair of horizontally extending extensions at each end of said cover projecting outwardly from the adjaceNt end of the cover alongside the associated pair of posts and restraining lateral movement of the cover by contact with the associated posts during raising and lowering of the cover by the lift means, and stop means on the end supports to engage the extensions and stop the upward movement of the cover, each lift means being independently actuated for selectively lifting one end of the cover, the opposite end of the cover being supported on the extensions of said opposite end when said one end of the cover is lifted.
 2. A railway flat car as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lift means comprises a pair of sprockets connected in driving relation to each other, an output shaft extending from the driven sprocket, a gear reduction unit connected to said output shaft, and means connecting the gear reduction unit to the cover for lifting the cover upon actuation of the lift means. 